Grains of Gratitude

This is a post I started on Sunday (hence the date) but never finished until today (Friday, Oct 13).

My friend, Christy, has a Sunday "Grains of Gratitude" post. I won't be doing this every week, but I thought I'd do it for Thanksgiving. So, here are some of the things I'm thankful for. (And yes, I'm incredibly thankful for my family and friends, but because that's so obvious and something that permeates every hour of my every day, I'm not going to include that in my list).

1. I'm thankful for Fall. Autumn is my favourite season of the year. I love the smell in the air. I love the crisp, cool air in the mornings. I love the crunch of leaves as you walk through them. I love putting on a sweater for the first time. I love fall colours - rich greens, golds, reds and oranges. I'm thankful for all the seasons, actually. Each one brings its own unique attributes and each is beautiful in its own way. And I'm thankful that we get to experience all 4 seasons where we live. But fall is the best.

2. Right now, I'm thankful I have some extra padding on this body of mine. This is something I never thought I'd be thankful for! I lost another 5 lbs this round of chemo. I don't want to lose weight and am working on that,,, but I'm thankful that these 5 lbs are not a big deal right now.

3. I'm thankful for the gifts Down syndrome has brought our lives. This really is a whole other post, but in short, Ryan having Down syndrome has brought me some wonderful friendships, it has taught me a lot about what is really important in raising a child, it has brought me a closer relationship with God, and most important, it has taught me about TRUE unconditional love.

4. Believe it or not, there are gifts I have received as a result of this horrible cancer. I am thankful for the openness it has brought to my relationships with my friends and family. I've never been one to tell people "I love you" (other than my parents, Tom and my kids), but it's easier now. It's easier to tell people how important they are to me and how much I think of them. And for that I'm thankful - as these people deserve to be told that! I am also thankful for the love and support I have received. It is a wonderful gift to feel connected to loving, caring people.